Calceolaria plant named ‘KLECH15023’

ABSTRACT

A new  calceolaria  plant particularly distinguished by having red flowers, and medium-late earliness to flower, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Calceolaria hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘KLECH15023’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety ofcalceolaria, botanically known as Calceolaria hybrid and hereinafterreferred to by the variety name ‘KLECH15023’. ‘KLECH15023’ was derivedas a selection from the hand-crossing between the proprietarycalceolaria female parent ‘CH-2006-0095’ (unpatented) and theproprietary male calceolaria parent ‘CH-2007-0027’ (unpatented) in June2008 in Stuttgart, Germany.

Seeds from the initial hand-crossing were planted in Stuttgart, Germanyand a single plant was selected in May 2009 and subsequently named‘KLECH15023’.

In June 2009, ‘KLECH15023’ was first asexually propagated by vegetativestem cuttings. ‘KLECH15023’ was found to reproduce true to type insuccessive generations of asexual propagation via vegetative cuttings inStuttgart, Germany.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new variety when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Stuttgart, Germany.

-   -   1. Red flowers; and    -   2. Medium-late earliness to flower.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

An application with the Canadian Plant Breeders Rights Office was filedfor this variety on Apr. 2, 2015, Application No. 15/8564.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

This new calceolaria plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographwhich shows an overall view of the whole plant. The photograph is of aplant approximately eleven-weeks-old grown in a greenhouse in Stuttgart,Germany in April 2012.

The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained byconventional photographic procedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘KLECH15023’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inStuttgart, Germany. Data was collected on ten-week-old plants grownindoors in Stuttgart, Germany under greenhouse conditions in November2015. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 5^(th) edition (2007).

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Scrophulariaceae or Calceolarieaceae.        -   Common name.—Lady's purse, slipper flower, pocketbook            flower.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—The proprietary calceolaria female parent            ‘CH-2006-0095’ (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—The proprietary male calceolaria parent            ‘CH-2007-0027’ (unpatented).-   Plant description:    -   -   Type.—Potted plant.        -   Habit.—Upright.        -   Plant height.—Approximately 20.0 cm.        -   Plant width.—Approximately 16.0 cm.        -   Flowering habit.—Continuous, but intermittent in the summer.        -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—Approximately 12            weeks for a 12 cm pot.        -   Propagation type.—Cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—5 to 6 weeks.        -   Root description.—Adventitious, fibrous root system, with            fine light brown, RHS 164C roots.-   Stems:    -   -   Quantity per plant.—4 to 6.        -   Color.—RHS 187B base at the base; tip is RHS 145B.        -   Length.—Approximately 5.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—Approximately 0.5 cm.        -   Internode length.—Approximately 1.5 cm.        -   Texture.—Very small and soft hairs, less pubescent.        -   Anthocyanin.—Present, stems dark red at the base, RHS 187B,            and light green, RHS 145B at the tip.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Decussate.        -   Length.—Mature leaves are 9.0 cm.        -   Width.—Mature leaves are 5.0 cm.        -   Shape.—Rhombical.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Crenate.        -   Texture (both surfaces).—Leathery, smooth.        -   Glossiness of the leaf blade.—Weak.        -   Color.—Immature leaf: Upper surface: RHS 137B. Lower            surface: RHS 146B. Mature leaf: Upper surface: RHS 137A.            Lower surface: RHS 147B.        -   Venation pattern.—Reticulate.        -   Venation color.—Upper surface: RHS 148C. Lower surface: RHS            144D.        -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 2.5 cm. Diameter: 0.7 cm to            1.0 cm. Color: RHS 145B with RHS 185C anthocyanin. Texture:            Pubescent, with fine hairs.-   Flowers:    -   -   General.—Zygomorphic with a four-parted calyx, with the            lobes free to the base, and a two-lipped sympetalous            corolla.        -   Flowering season.—From May to June and August to October,            without artificial light.        -   Lastingness of individual flowers on the plant.—About 14            days.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.        -   Flower length.—Approximately 3.5 cm.        -   Flower width.—Approximately 3.0 cm.        -   Bud.—Shape: Truncate hemisphere. Height: Approximately            0.3 cm. Width: Approximately 0.6 cm. Color: RHS 144A.            Texture: Velvety.        -   Corolla.—General: The corolla is two-lipped and composed of            two pouches, the upper lip and the lower lip. Upper lip:            Hood: Present, RHS 46, with light yellow border of RHS 13A.            Length: Approximately 0.6 cm. Width: Approximately 0.3 cm.            Texture: Upper surface: Velvety. Lower surface: Smooth.            Color: Immature: RHS N34A and RHS 1B. Mature: RHS 46A and            RHS 13A. Shape: Hemispherical. Apex: Elliptic. Base: Fused            with the lower lip. Margin: Entire. Lower lip: Length:            1.5 cm. Width: 2.0 cm. Texture: Upper surface: Velvety.            Lower surface: Smooth. Color: Immature: RHS N34A. Mature:            RHS 46A. Shape: Hemispherical. Apex: Elliptic. Base: Fused            with upper lip. Margin: Entire. Oil gland: Absent.        -   Calyx.—Four-parted calyx, all calyx lobes with similar size.            Sepals: Upper sepal: Length: Approximately 0.7 cm. Width:            Approximately 0.5 cm. Color: Upper surface: RHS 137C. Lower            surface: RHS 137B. Texture: Pubescent, small fine hairs.            Shape: Ovate with acuminate sepal tip. Apex: Acuminate.            Base: Fused with other sepals. Margin: Entire. Lateral            sepals: Length: Approximately 0.7 cm. Width: Approximately            0.5 cm. Color: Upper surface: RHS 137C. Lower surface: RHS            137B. Texture: Pubescent with small fine hairs. Shape: Ovate            with acuminate sepal tip. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Fused with            other sepals. Margin: Entire.        -   Pedicel.—Length: Approximately 2.0 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 0.1 cm. Color: RHS N199A. Texture: Smooth.        -   Peduncle.—Length: Approximately 7.0 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 0.3 cm. Color: RHS 152B. Texture: Pubescent,            sticky.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Quantity per flower: 2. Anther shape: Elliptic.            Anther length: 0.1 cm. Anther diameter: Approximately            0.1 mm. Anther color: RHS 11B. Filament length:            Approximately 0.2 cm. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:            RHS 11B.        -   Pistils.—Quantity per flower: 1. Pistil length: 0.5 cm.            Style length: 0.4 cm. Style color: RHS 53A. Stigma shape:            Tube-like. Stigma color: RHS 13A. Ovary color: RHS 53A.            Ovary shape: Cylindrical.-   Fruit and seed set: After pollination, capsulates are developed. The    capsulates are ovate-shaped, seeds are dark brown, RHS 200A, seeds    are ovate and less than 0.1 cm in size.-   Disease and insect resistance: No particular disease or insect    resistance observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘KLECH15023’ is distinguished from its parental lines as described inTable 1.

TABLE 1 Female parent Male parent Characteristic ‘KLECH15023’‘CH-2006-0095’ ‘CH-2007-0027’ Vigor Low High Medium Flower color RedOrange-red Orange-red

‘KLECH15023’ can be compared to the commercial calceolaria plant variety‘KLECH13020’ (U.S. Publication No. 2015-0319903). Differences betweenthe two varieties are described in Table 2.

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Characteristic ‘KLECH15023’‘KLECH13020’ Flower color Red Dark red Plant habit Small/tiny MediumEarliness to flower Medium-late Early

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of calceolaria plant named‘KLECH15023’ as illustrated and described herein.